JERUSALEM–Thirty-nine Canadians, still stranded in war-wracked Gaza yesterday, could have safely departed the territory last Friday – if only Canadian diplomats had known it.

Early last Friday, more than 30 hours before the launch of a deadly Israeli ground offensive, more than 200 foreign nationals fled Gaza via the Erez border crossing, which had been opened by Israeli authorities for just that day and for just that purpose.

Had the Canadians shown up at the border on Friday, they likely would have been permitted to cross, said Maj. Peter Lerner, spokesperson for the Israeli agency that handle's this country's activities in the territory.

"We don't like to be surprised," he told the Star last night, "but I'm pretty certain we would have facilitated that."

But it was only on Friday that Canadian diplomats first provided the Israelis with a list of names of Canadians who wanted to leave the territory, and no attempt was made to contact them that day, to tell them to get to the border right away, because it was open.

Meanwhile, beginning early Friday, 226 citizens of six other countries – Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States – began crossing into Israel, where they were put onto buses and driven to neighbouring Jordan.

The embassies in Israel of each of these countries had all contacted Israeli authorities days beforehand in order to arrange the departures, submitting lists of the names of their nationals wanting to leave.

"Those embassies spoke to us," said Lerner. "It's a ritual that repeats itself every time there is an increase in tension in Gaza."

As it happened, 20 Ukrainians not on their embassy's list also showed up at Erez on Friday and were nonetheless permitted to cross, the same treatment the 39 Canadians likely would have received, if only someone had told them to get to the border.

That way, they would have evaded the deadly Israeli ground invasion of Gaza that began late Saturday, following eight straight days of aerial bombardment, and that has made the trip to the Israeli border much more dangerous than before.

Peter Kent, the minister of state for foreign affairs responsible for the Americas, confirmed Canadian officials gave the list to the Israelis on Friday.

He could not say whether that had happened before or after the border had been open.

"I don't know of the relationship of those timings," Kent, the Conservative MP for Thornhill, said in an interview yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Canadians were still trapped in Gaza yesterday.

They had been scheduled to leave Gaza on Monday, but that departure was cancelled at the last moment by the Israelis, who cited security considerations.

The Canadians were supposed to make another attempt to flee Gaza this morning.

But Lerner warned last night the departure could be postponed yet again because it appeared representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross might not be able to provide an escort, as required.

Canadian diplomats in Israel routinely warn Canadians not to enter Gaza because of the dangers there.

Since June 2007, when the radical Islamist group Hamas took over control of the territory, Canadian diplomats have helped organize six rescue operations similar to the one that was planned for this morning, helping a total of 155 Canadians to flee.

In all, there are thought to be 59 Canadians currently in Gaza, but not all of them had asked to leave.

Kent said it is not up to the Canadian government to encourage the remaining 20 to ask for help, but it will be there if they do.

He said he was not concerned Canada was being kept out of the loop.

"I think Canada is concerned about the safety and security of its citizens," he said.

"This is a very dangerous situation. It's a very fluid situation. It's a very unpredictable situation and we have been assured by Israel that they will be assisted at the very earliest opportunity, when conditions allow," Kent added.

"In the meantime, they're being kept as safe as possible in that conflict situation."

The former broadcast journalist who covered the Yom Kippur War in 1973 pointed out he had witnessed firsthand how complicated such evacuations can be.

"Having participated in a number of evacuations myself, I know that it's pretty hard to be as orderly and precise as one might like from a distance," he said. "The conditions are chaotic."

Liberal foreign affairs critic Bryon Wilfert (Richmond Hill) said the Canadian government "dropped the ball."

"I think they were very slow off the mark. When other countries have been able to get their nationals out, obviously I think somebody dropped the ball," he said yesterday.

"One would have thought if other countries were able to get their nationals out faster, we would have been able to do the same."

NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre) said Canada will need to ask questions about its response even if the evacuation is successful today.

"Why is it that they weren't able to get out when others were? Are we so far out of the loop that we can't access the same kind of information and protocol and services that are available to other countries on the ground?" he asked.

With files from Joanna Smith

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